Blues, Blackhawks to Clash in 2017 Winter Classic in St. Louis

The 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is set to be played on Monday, January 2nd, 2017, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The home Blues will face off against their bitter rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks.

This will be the first time the St. Louis Blues have played in the Winter Classic or a game outdoors. For the Blackhawks, it will be their third. The game will celebrate a number of milestones. It is the National Hockey League’s 100th season, the 50th season of St. Louis Blues hockey, and the tenth season of operation for Busch Stadium, regular home of baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals.

The Blues / Blackhawks rivalry is one of the league’s most notable, bitter, and infamous. It is known for high numbers of penalties and the high propensity for fights. Division foes for decades now, the rivalry has heated up again in recent years as the teams have faced off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In 2014, Chicago came back from two games down to bounce the Blues from the postseason, and in the 2015-16 playoffs, this time facing a 3-1 series deficit, won back to back elimination games to force a decisive game seven. This time, however, the Blues prevailed.